India and Japan announce AI Cooperation Initiative, PM Modi invites Ishiba for AI Impact Summit

Tokyo, Aug 29 (IANS) India and Japan on Friday announced the launch of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiative to advance collaboration in Large Language Models (LLMs), training, capacity building and support for businesses and start-ups to foster a trustworthy AI ecosystem.

The two nations also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Digital Partnership 2.0 during the ongoing visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tokyo.

Following the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit. meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba announced the launch of a India-Japan AI Cooperation Initiative, which is aimed at deepening bilateral and multilateral cooperation on artificial intelligence including Large Language Models (LLMs), establishing platforms for exchange between industry and academia, supporting joint research projects, and facilitating the development and operations of data centres in India.

Prime Minister Modi also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Ishiba to attend the AI Impact Summit, which will be hosted by India in February 2026. Furthermore, the two Prime Ministers emphasised the importance of support for startups and concurred in promoting activities of startups of both countries in India including through the Japan-India Startup Support Initiative (JISSI).

The list of outcomes released after the summit meeting detailed that a document to advance bilateral collaboration in digital public infrastructure, development of digital talent and joint R&D in futuristic technological fields such as AI, IoT, semiconductors was also signed between both countries.

India and Japan announced the launch of the Next-General Mobility Partnership to foster G2G and B2B partnerships in the infrastructure, logistics and mobility sectors, particularly railways, aviation, roads, shipping and ports, with a focus on Make-in-India of mobility products and solutions.

The two nations announced an action plan to promote two-way exchange of 500,000 people between India and Japan, particularly 50,000 skilled and semi-skilled personnel from India to Japan in the next five years.

India and Japan also announced the launch of the Sustainable Fuel Initiative to promote energy security, farmer livelihoods and advance R&D in technologies related to sustainable fuels such as biogas and biofuels.

The list of outcomes mentions the launch of the India-Japan Small and Medium Enterprises Forum to strengthen collaboration between Indian and Japanese SMEs, which are the engines of India and Japan.

India and Japan also launched the Economic Security Initiative to promote supply chain resilience in strategic sectors such as semiconductors, clean energy, telecom, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals as well as new and emerging technologies. The two sides agreed to have high-level exchanges between states and prefectures, including three visits in each direction to be organised by the Foreign Offices.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service and Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote exchanges between diplomats, academics, officials, experts and researchers to advance mutual understanding in the field of foreign policy.

--IANS

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